The First Dance
by Kristen3
Summary: Niles doesn't know what to think when his teenage daughter asks him to teach her to dance for her first date. Luckily, Daphne puts things into perspective. One-shot.


Niles sighed. He'd had a light day today, as far as patients were concerned. So he'd decided to get some work done at home. It was something he'd been doing more lately. He still loved his work, but being a father was definitely his first priority. Right now, the house was quiet because Daphne was out running errands, and David was at baseball practice. The fact that his only son loved sports didn't exactly thrill Niles, but David was also an excellent student, so he tried not to let it bother him too much.

Just as Niles was about to begin looking over his notes, he heard the front door open. He looked up to see his daughter entering. He smiled automatically. Ella was thirteen now, and every bit as pretty as her mother. Thankfully, she hadn't really become interested in boys yet, at least not seriously. Niles prayed she would stay that way for the next twenty or so years.

"Hi, Daddy. Is Mom home? The most amazing thing happened to me at school!"

"I'm afraid not. Your mother's out running errands, and then I think she was going to visit your grandfather. But why don't you tell me what happened to you?" Niles knew there was a natural distance between him and his daughter. Of course she would seek out her mother to explain all the wonders of puberty. But still, he wanted Ella to know she could trust him.

Ella nervously bit her lip. "I'm not sure. It's kind of a girl thing."

"Come here," Niles said, beckoning her over. Ella obeyed. "Now, you know I'm psychiatrist. I've had many patients who were women. I've counseled them through divorces, menopause, pregnancy, you name it. There is nothing in a thirteen-year-old girl's life that I can't handle."

"Well, OK," Ella said. "But promise you won't get mad?"

Niles couldn't ignore the way his heart skipped a beat upon hearing his daughter's question. But he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. "No, I-I won't get mad."

"Well, there's this boy at school, Lucas. All the girls have crushes on him. I like him, too, of course. But guess what?! He asked _me_ to the dance! Can you believe it?!"

Excitement was evident on Ella's face. This was it, the moment Niles had been dreading since she was born. He couldn't even think of what to say.

"I really want to go to the dance, if you and Mom say it's OK. But I've never danced with a boy before. I mean, not for real. Mom's always telling us how great a dancer you are. Do you think you could show me?"

Niles' first impulse was to say no. Even though Daphne always praised his abilities, Niles knew dancing wasn't his forte. But Ella continued to look at him, pleading with her eyes. He gave in. "All right, I'll do my best."

"Thanks!" Ella hugged him tightly. Niles knew then that this would be worth it.

"OK, now, if we're going to do this, we have to do it right." Niles stood, and his daughter did the same. He took her hands in his. If it was possible, he felt more nervous now than when Daphne had taught him.

"Well, how do we start?" Ella asked when her father didn't speak for several moments.

"Um...well, I put my hand on your waist like so," Niles answered. He tried not to think about a teenage boy putting his hands on his daughter like this.

"OK...now what?"

"I'll start by teaching you the box step. It's what your mother taught me, and it's really all I know." He laughed nervously. "Now, you step forward," he said as he stepped back. He slid his foot to the side and stepped forward again, completing the square. He was amazed he'd remembered the steps. When Daphne taught him, he was far too caught up in the idea of holding her in his arms to pay much attention to what they were doing. He repeated the pattern several more times, and Ella seemed to pick it up rather quickly. Looks weren't the only thing she'd inherited from her mother.

"This is actually kind of fun," Ella grinned.

Niles smiled, grateful that his daughter was enjoying the lesson. "I'm afraid there isn't much more I can teach you. But then again, I don't think you need to know anything more than that for a middle school dance anyway." He remembered the tango he and Daphne had done at the Snow Ball. That was far too intimate for a teenage girl, especially his daughter.

"That's OK, Daddy. At least now I won't make a total fool of myself at the dance!" She laughed.

Suddenly, the front door opened, and Daphne came in. "I swear, that old man's going to be the death of me," she muttered in frustration. But then she saw her husband and daughter standing facing one another. If she didn't know better, she'd think they were dancing. "Well, what's going on here?"

"You'll never believe it, Mom! Lucas asked me to the dance! I can go, right?! Dad was just showing me the box step. I've never been out with a boy before."

Daphne hadn't expected this. She knew Ella had a crush on her classmate, but she figured it wouldn't go beyond doodling his name in her notebooks, and perhaps a harmless conversation. Girls and boys weren't the same as they'd been when she was growing up. Ella was far more innocent than Daphne had been at her age, so she had no choice but to say yes. "Of course. This is a big moment in a girl's life." She hugged her daughter.

"Thanks, Mom. You're the best. I'm going to call Lucas now and tell him I'm going!" Ella took off upstairs.

Niles was still in shock, unable to believe what had just happened. "I taught my little girl the box step so she can go to a dance with a boy. Is she really growing up that fast?"

"So it seems," Daphne said, coming over to kiss her husband. "But this is just one date with one boy. She's not going to grow up overnight."

"I know you're right. But ever since she was born, she's been the most important thing in the world to me...after you, of course. I just want to hold onto her forever."

Daphne nodded. "That's how I feel with David sometimes. But the best thing we can do for our children is let them grow up. It won't be easy, but we'll get through it."

Niles knew she was right, as much as he hated to admit it. He could still see his daughter as a little girl. He'd give anything to have those days back again. "I miss her," he whispered.

Daphne understood. "You've still got me," she answered, kissing him again.

He pulled her close. They'd been together through so much. Niles couldn't imagine where he'd be now without her by his side. Just as it had been with all the other obstacles, he knew without a doubt that he could handle anything as long as Daphne was here.

**The End**


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